Iran National Export Strategy Report on Medicinal Herbs
The medicinal herbs in Iran are victims of their own success due to these international trends as well as local consumption growth. In Iran, like other countries with a rich history of traditional plant-based medicine, this has led to an inflow of new firms in an otherwise traditional and long-established sector. It has also put pressure on the primary resources, especially considering the predominant rangeland harvest of medicinal herbs, and has led to degradation of quality.
The latest developments in this sector for the export of medicinal herbs call for a strategic response around a threefold approach detailed in this report (and available for download through the below link) :
- Strengthening safeguards and frameworks to maintain the highest level of quality of production ;
- Carefully narrowing down the species for exports of medicinal plants to avoid further pressure on endemic resources
- Developing knowledge about Iranian traditional medicine and its principles – locally and internationally – to educate consumers and sensitize them about the product and how to select it.
It is expected that exports of medicinal herbs will bring further revenue and resilience to Iranian producers, but they need to be carefully framed and producers’ capacities need to be built to meet the constantly growing quality requirements of key markets.
The implementation of this strategy outlined in this report will thus lead to increased exporting through reduced uncertainty and improved connections with high-potential markets, expanded downstream activities for increased domestic value added and export diversification, increased efficiency and sustainability in natural resource usage, a sustainable income secured for rural populations and especially an improved national image through the development of a national medicine brand.
